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The Super Bowl has come and gone, and while the game may not have been close, early indications are that it drew quite the audience. With brands spending millions to capture the attention of that massive viewership, the key question is – have consumer perceptions shifted? CivicScience polling among viewers offers clues into how they felt about the ads they saw and what it might mean for advertisers and brands as we head deeper into 2025. Here are the three key data points to know:
1. Fewer Super Bowl ads made an impact on consumer perception this year.
When asked if a Super Bowl ad changed their opinion of a product or service in a positive way, 26% of viewers said at least ‘one or two’ ads did – down from 35% who said the same about last year’s ads. Meanwhile, three-quarters of viewers reported that none of the ads swayed them in a positive direction.
The trend was similar for negative reactions. Twenty-six percent said at least ‘one or two ads’ shifted their perception negatively toward a product or service, a percentage that also fell from 35% last year.
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2. That said, AI tools were prominent in ads this year, but viewers were far more likely to respond negatively.
CivicScience data show just 6% of Super Bowl viewers report they are more likely to purchase or use AI tech after seeing ads for AI tech during the game. On the other hand, one-quarter of viewers are less likely to use AI following the ads they saw. One possible explanation for this strong negative response? As much as 83% of Super Bowl viewers are at least ‘somewhat’ concerned about the proliferation of AI tools, outpacing the Gen Pop by six percentage points (77%).
3. Where do advertisers go from here? Super Bowl themes suggest leaning into humor.
There were many different approaches to the style of ads in this year’s game, with three themes of humor, appealing to emotions, and providing information being the most common. Data show humorous ads are by far the most likely to strike a chord with viewers. Though a strong majority resonate with humorous ads across all age groups, consumers aged 18-24 lead the way in being stirred by emotional and informative ads.Â
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As advertisers assess the impact of their Super Bowl campaigns, the decline in Super Bowl ad influence suggests a tougher challenge in shifting consumer perception in the first big test with a large audience in 2025. With AI-related ads facing notable resistance and humor appearing to resonate, brands may need to refine their messaging – emphasizing relatability and entertainment over cutting-edge tech – to connect with audiences in 2025.
